How to know God's will - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 12:2,

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God's will is —his good, pleasing and perfect
will."

Have you ever listened to someone tell you of a decision they have
made that sounded goofy, off-the-wall, foolish, lacking "common sense"
and then end their telling of it with "It is God's will for me." You
are left with a feeling that they, too, know it sounds reckless or
wacky and need to validate it, or avoid being challenged on it by
playing what they feel is a trump card - its God's will! Who can argue
with that? Meanwhile you can think of passages of Scripture,
principles and truths within its pages this someone is going to run
against, all the name of "God's will." Over the years there have been
countless times I've witnessed that very conversation by fellow church
members.

Additionally, how many times have you prayed in a group where someone
is sincerely seeking the Lord's will in a matter or, you alone before
the Lord, seek his will on something? And, how often, there appears to
be less than pristine clarity when the time comes to plunge ahead on
whatever the issue was? Did we find God's will? If so, why the nagging
thought of uncertainty on it? Maybe you haven't had the experience,
but I know I have - on more than one occasion.

Why so much uncertainty in seeking the Lord's will on a matter? Why
the confusion, why the many opinions on God's will in a matter? Paul
provides us very direct counsel on it here in this Romans passage. If
we turn from the ways of the world, "the pattern of this world" for
something else: being transformed by the renewing of our minds by the
Holy Spirit, we will be able to "test and approve" God's good,
pleasing and perfect will. Not until we put the ways of this world
behind us to seek him do we begin to understand and know our God. Only
by knowing our God do we understand his desires.

If we maintain our distance, if we fail to draw near him, if we snub
what we know he desires for us in other areas, to think we will
receive a special message from him on something that will give us
advantage, we are most likely fooling ourselves. I am reminded of
James 4:8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." I am
persuaded God wants us to know his desires and I am persuaded that is
obtainable for us... but not from a distance. How can we know God's
will on anything if we know so little of him? It seems to me the more
I know of him by drawing close to him, leaving this world's ways
behind me, the more I will know of his will.

Just a thought. What do you think?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com